Noah Gindorff NFL Draft Overview
Position: Tight end
Height: 6′-6″
Weight: 263 pounds
School: North Dakota St.
2023 NFL Draft: Noah Gindorff Scouting Report
Noah Gindorff does not have eye-popping numbers, especially for a prospect coming out of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, even considering how successful North Dakota State has been in the subdivision. He red-shirted during his first year at North Dakota State and did not see any playing time. In his freshman season of 2018, Gindorff appeared in 12 of 15 games for the Bison but only played on special teams. 2019 was a breakout year for Gindorff. He played in all 16 games for the Bison and saw his first real action at tight end, catching 10 passes for 170 yards and six touchdowns.
In the Covid-19 shortened season of 2020, Gindorff played in all ten of the Bison’s games and had a personal best 11 catches, for 85 yards and three touchdowns. Gindorff played in the first 12 of 16 games of 2021 for NDSU, catching 17 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, before suffering a leg injury and ending his season. Taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to those affected by the 2020 shortened season, Gindorff returned for his final year. In his final season in the “Peace Garden” state, Gindorff played in three games, before having a procedure to correct the injury that made him miss the last four games of the 2021 season. Gindorff still managed to have six catches for 74 yards and one touchdown.
Strengths
- Biomechanically sound blocker;
- Gets on his blocks instantaneously;
- Tackle-breaking ability and physicality;
- Plays with the tenacity of a lineman;
- Smart and has leadership qualities
Weaknesses
- Difficulty fighting off blocks in man coverage;
- Does not run crisp routes;
- Inability to make dynamic catches;
- Overuses momentum on blocks; gets thrown to the ground;
- History of injuries
NFL Comparison: A slightly smaller, Adam Shaheen
Teams With Need At Position: Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins
Projection: Round 6-UDFA
Bottom Line on Noah Gindorff
One of the biggest advantages for Gindorff is his size. At 6′-6″ and 263 pounds, Gindorff is above average size for an NFL tight end. He is also an extremely talented blocking tight end, providing an asset to any team’s running game. His history of injuries may result in teams passing on him. Moreover, he has an inability to make catches that require a solid amount of athleticism nor does he run crisp routes. Both disadvantages limit his ability to be a well-rounded, NFL-ready, tight end.
A team who is willing to invest in his development may be willing to part with, at the highest, a sixth-round pick to take him, but it would not be surprising to see him go undrafted and sign as an undrafted free agent. However, it would not be unreasonable to think whether he is drafted or winds up signing as an undrafted free-agent, that a team may be getting a diamond in the rough, based on just his run blocking ability, alone.
Main Image: Trevor Ruszkowski – USA TODAY Sports
